English Vocabulary
Pick a CEFR level (A1–C2) — A1 is the friendliest place to start — and browse its words grouped by topic: travel, food, the body, emotions, and more. Each word shows its meaning, example sentences, and US/UK pronunciation.
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307 words
effervesce
C2
/ˌɛfɚˈvɛs/
to give off bubbles of gas; to fizz or foam
lenticular
C2
/lɛnˈtɪkjəlɚ/
shaped like a lens, especially convex on both sides
calcareous
C2
/kælˈkɛəɹi.əs/
Resembling, containing, or composed of calcium carbonate or limestone; chalky.
karyotype
C2
/ˈker.i.oʊ.taɪp/
the complete chromosome set of an individual or species, considered by number and visible structure
tapetum
C2
/təˈpiː.təm/
a reflective or pigmented layer of tissue behind or within the retina of the eye
hermaphroditism
C2
/hɚˈmæfɹədaɪˌtɪzəm/
in biology, the condition of having both male and female reproductive organs, either simultaneously or at different life stages
supernatant
C2
/ˌsuː.pɚˈneɪ.tənt/
lying or floating above a denser liquid, sediment, or precipitate
antiparticle
C2
/ˈæntiˌpɑ(ɹ)tɪkəl/
a subatomic particle with the same mass and spin as another particle but opposite charge or other quantum numbers
hybridize
C2
/ˈhaɪbrəˌdaɪz/
to cross genetically different organisms, varieties, or species, or to produce hybrid offspring
substratum
C2
/ˈsʌbstreɪtəm/
a layer of material, especially rock or soil, lying beneath another layer
aphelion
C2
/əˈfiːliən/
the point in the orbit of a planet, comet, or other body at which it is farthest from the Sun
submicroscopic
C2
/ˌsʌb.maɪ.krəˈskɑː.pɪk/
too small to be seen with an ordinary microscope; smaller than microscopic scale
homologous
C2
/həˈmɒləɡəs/
similar in position, structure, or origin, especially because of shared ancestry
lamella
C2
/ləˈmɛlə/
a thin plate, layer, membrane, or sheet forming part of a biological, mineral, or manufactured structure
pubescence
C2
/pjuːˈbɛsəns/
A covering of fine, soft hairs.
metaphase
C2
/ˈmɛtəˌfeɪz/
the stage of mitosis or meiosis in which condensed chromosomes align before being separated
Miocene
C2
/ˈmaɪəˌsiːn/
the geological epoch from about 23 million to 5.3 million years ago, within the Neogene Period
suborder
C2
/ˈsʌbˌɔːrdɚ/
taxonomy: a rank below an order and above an infraorder, used to divide a biological order into smaller groups
integument
C2
/ˌɪnˈtɛɡ.jə.mənt/
a natural outer covering that protects an organism or one of its parts, such as skin, a shell, or a seed coat
homology
C2
/həˈmɑlədʒi/
similarity between structures, genes, or features because they derive from a common evolutionary ancestor
convolution
C2
/ˌkɑːn.vəˈluː.ʃən/
a twist, coil, or fold, especially one of the folds on the surface of the brain
deuteron
C2
/ˈduː.təˌrɑːn/
the nucleus of a deuterium, or hydrogen-2, atom, consisting of one proton bound to one neutron
homozygous
C2
/ˌhoʊ.məˈzaɪ.ɡəs/
having two identical alleles at a particular gene locus
branchial
C2
/ˈbɹæŋ.ki.əl/
relating to, resembling, or serving as gills
polymorphism
C2
/pɑliˈmɔɹfɪzəm/
the occurrence of two or more distinct forms or genetic variants within a population
hygrometer
C2
/haɪˈɡrɑːmətər/
an instrument for measuring humidity, especially the relative humidity of the air
coccus
C2
/ˈkɑːkəs/
a bacterium with a spherical or roughly spherical shape
exogenous
C2
/ɛkˈsɑdʒənəs/
originating outside an organism, system, or process
contiguity
C2
/ˌkɑn.tɪˈɡju.ɪ.ti/
A state in which two or more physical objects are physically touching one another or in which sections of a plane border on one another.
quantize
C2
/ˈkwɑːn.taɪz/
physics: to restrict a physical quantity or system to discrete allowed values or states
positronium
C2
/ˌpɒzɪˈtɹɒniəm/
an unstable exotic atom consisting of an electron bound to its antiparticle, a positron, with no atomic nucleus
evolutionism
C2
/ˌev.əˈluː.ʃənˌɪz.əm/
a philosophical or social doctrine that treats evolution as a universal process, often identified with progress
psychophysiology
C2
/ˌsaɪkoʊˌfɪziˈɑlədʒi/
the study of relationships between psychological processes and physiological activity
scoria
C2
/ˈskɔɹ.i.ə/
rough, dark, porous lava formed when gas-rich molten rock cools
monism
C2
/ˈmɑnɪzəm/
The doctrine that there is a single source of political authority, especially that the church is subordinate to the state or vice versa.
geocentrism
C2
/ˌdʒiːoʊˈsɛntrɪzəm/
the astronomical model or belief that Earth is stationary at the center of the universe or of the motions of the heavenly bodies
fecundation
C2
/ˌfɛkənˈdeɪʃən/
fertilization through the union of male and female reproductive cells
pseudopod
C2
/ˈsuː.dəˌpɑd/
a temporary projection of a cell's cytoplasm used for movement, feeding, or engulfing material
heterozygous
C2
/ˌhet̬.ə.roʊˈzaɪ.ɡəs/
having two different alleles at a particular gene locus
atomistic
C2
/ˌætəˈmɪstɪk/
Of or pertaining to atoms or to atomism.
mutational
C2
/mjuːˈteɪʃənəl/
relating to, caused by, or resulting from genetic mutation
unisexual
C2
/ˌjuːnɪˈsɛkʃuəl/
having the reproductive characteristics or organs of only one sex rather than both
heterozygote
C2
/ˌhet̬.ə.roʊˈzaɪ.ɡoʊt/
an organism or cell having two different alleles at a particular gene locus
isotropy
C2
/aɪˈsɑtɹəpi/
the property of a system or medium whose relevant physical or statistical properties are the same in every direction; invariance under rotation at a given point
slaty
C2
/ˈsleɪti/
of the color of slate or granite
centromere
C2
/ˈsɛntɹəˌmɪɹ/
the constricted region of a chromosome where the kinetochore forms and sister chromatids remain joined during cell division
parthenogenetic
C2
/ˌpɑːrθənoʊdʒəˈnɛtɪk/
produced by or relating to reproduction in which an organism develops from an unfertilized egg
mineralize
C2
/ˈmɪnɝəˌlaɪz/
to convert a substance into mineral or inorganic form, as in fossilization, bone formation, or carbon storage
conchologist
C2
/kɑŋˈkɑlədʒɪst/
a person who studies or collects mollusc shells, especially for scientific classification
triturate
C2
/ˈtrɪtʃəˌreɪt/
to crush, rub, or grind a substance thoroughly into fine particles or powder
pellicle
C2
/ˈpɛlɪkəl/
a very thin skin, membrane, or film covering a surface
homozygote
C2
/ˌhoʊmoʊˈzaɪɡoʊt/
an organism or cell with two identical alleles at a specified genetic locus
pangenesis
C2
/ˌpænˈdʒɛnəsɪs/
Darwin's disproved hypothesis that every part of an organism releases hereditary particles which collect in reproductive cells and can be passed to offspring
electrolyze
C2
/ɪˈlɛktrəlaɪz/
to decompose by means of, or as a result of electrolysis.
gemmule
C2
/ˈdʒemˌjuːl/
a small asexual reproductive bud or resistant cluster of cells, especially one produced by a sponge or another simple organism
cilium
C2
/ˈsɪliəm/
a microscopic hairlike projection from a eukaryotic cell, used for movement, moving fluid, or sensing the environment
diffract
C2
/dɪˈfrækt/
of a wave or particle beam, to spread or change direction through interference after meeting an edge, aperture, or periodic structure
congelation
C2
/ˌkɑːndʒəˈleɪʃən/
the process or result of congealing, especially changing from a liquid to a solid by cooling
trituration
C2
/ˌtrɪtʃəˈreɪʃən/
the act or process of crushing, rubbing, or grinding a substance into fine particles
rarefy
C2
/ˈɹɛəɹəˌfaɪ/
to make a gas thinner or less dense
conchological
C2
/ˌkɑŋkəˈlɑdʒɪkəl/
relating to conchology, the scientific study and classification of mollusc shells
fossiliferous
C2
/ˌfɑːsəˈlɪfɝəs/
bearing or containing fossils
verifiability
C2
/ˌvɛrəfaɪəˈbɪləti/
the quality of being capable of being checked or confirmed by evidence, observation, or a specified procedure
antineutron
C2
/ˌæn.tiˈnuː.trɑːn/
the antiparticle of the neutron, with the same mass and no net electric charge but opposite baryon number
consilience
C2
/kənˈsɪ.li.əns/
agreement between conclusions reached independently from different kinds of evidence
volatilize
C2
/ˈvɑːlətəˌlaɪz/
to cause a substance to become vapor, or to pass off as vapor
mongrelize
C2
/ˈmʌŋɡrəˌlaɪz/
to crossbreed plants or animals so that their offspring have mixed ancestry
deliquesce
C2
/ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛs/
to absorb moisture from the air until dissolved in the resulting liquid
agglutinate
C2
/əˈɡluːtəˌneɪt/
to cause particles, cells, or other separate things to stick together in a clump or mass, or to undergo such clumping
precessional
C2
/priˈsɛʃənəl/
relating to precession, the slow change in the orientation of a rotating body's axis or orbit
counterfactual
C2
/ˌkaʊntərˈfæktʃuəl/
relating to or expressing what has not happened but could happen under different conditions
intercrossing
C2
The interbreeding of two strains that have a common ancestry
classificatory
C2
relating to or involving classification:'classificatory criteria'
aestivation
C2
/ˌiːstɪˈveɪʃən/
(botany) the arrangement of sepals and petals in a flower bud before it opens
light-wave
C2
/ˈlaɪtˌweɪv/
a wave of electromagnetic radiation considered as light
light-ray
C2
/ˈlaɪtˌreɪ/
a line or narrow beam representing the path along which light travels
light-quantum
C2
/ˈlaɪtˌkwɑntəm/
a quantum of light; a photon
timelike
C2
/ˈtaɪmˌlaɪk/
relating to a spacetime interval that can connect events by a signal slower than light
spacelike
C2
/ˈspeɪsˌlaɪk/
relating to a spacetime interval whose endpoints cannot be connected by a light-speed or slower signal
spatiotemporal
C2
/ˌspeɪʃioʊˈtɛmpərəl/
relating to both space and time
reversibility
C2
/rɪˌvɜrsəˈbɪləti/
the quality of being able to be reversed
world-line
C2
/ˈwɜrldˌlaɪn/
the path of an object through spacetime
undulatory
C2
/ˈʌndʒələˌtɔri/
moving in waves or relating to wave motion
stratify
C2
/ˈstrætəfaɪ/
to form, arrange, or deposit something in distinct layers
intercross
C2
/ˌɪntɚˈkrɔs/
biology and genetics: to breed individuals from two strains or populations
systematist
C2
/ˈsɪstəmətɪst/
a biologist who studies systematics and classifies organisms by their relationships
congener
C2
/ˈkɒnd͡ʒɪnə/
a person or thing of the same kind or class as another
vivisector
C2
/ˈvɪvəˌsɛktər/
a person who performs vivisection or experiments involving operations on living animals
uranyl
C2
/ˈjʊr.əˌnɪl/
the linear dioxouranium(VI) cation UO2^2+, a common structural unit in uranium(VI) compounds and complexes
nonscience
C2
/ˌnɑːnˈsaɪəns/
a subject, practice, or body of claims that is not science or does not use scientific methods
peptone
C2
/ˈpɛptoʊn/
a water-soluble mixture of peptides and amino acids produced by the partial hydrolysis of protein
photomicrograph
C2
/ˌfoʊtəˈmaɪkrəˌɡræf/
a photograph made through a microscope so that a highly magnified subject can be recorded
polyploidy
C2
/ˈpɑliˌplɔɪdi/
the condition or process of having more than two complete sets of chromosomes in a cell or organism
radiational
C2
/ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃənəl/
relating to, involving, or caused by radiation
infecundity
C2
/ˌɪnfɪˈkʌndəti/
inability or reduced ability to reproduce; lack of fertility
pre-Copernican
C2
/ˌpriː.koʊˈpɝː.nɪ.kən/
existing before Nicolaus Copernicus's work or before acceptance of the heliocentric model associated with him